Giorgia Meloni’s White House visit sparks EU concern
After her meeting at the White House with Donald Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni returned to Rome with a list of ambitious promises.
She even attended a full session of Trump’s cabinet. But now that she is back home, Meloni faces widespread scepticism.
Trump expressed support for a potential EU–US trade deal, but he was quick to emphasize that “there’s no rush.”
Meloni came back with a string of grand statements, including one proclaiming that together they are “bringing greatness back to the West”—a clear nod to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
She was the first EU leader to visit Washington after Trump announced sweeping new tariffs. While EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič had already been in Washington on Monday, April 14, to discuss tariffs with the Trump administration, he is only a representative of the European Commission—not the leader of an EU member state.
Meloni’s visit followed the announcement of a 90-day suspension of the new tariffs by Washington, prompting Brussels to temporarily hold off on its own retaliatory measures, originally set to take effect on Tuesday.
Publicly, Trump was unusually courteous toward Meloni—especially in contrast with his reception of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He offered her high praise, calling her a “true leader,” and even denied ever referring to Europeans as “parasites” or suggesting that Zelenskyy had started the war.
During their joint press conference, Trump avoided answering whether he intends to reconcile with Europe or meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In Trump’s view, Europe as a unified entity doesn’t exist. Both he and Vice President J.D. Vance—as well as the unpredictable billionaire Elon Musk—are openly dismissive of the EU and prefer bilateral talks with individual European countries.
Answering questions from the press, Meloni said she was confident the EU would eventually reach a trade deal with the U.S. She also announced her intention to invite Trump to visit Italy. Still, the warm display of friendship didn’t stop Trump from once again claiming that the U.S. has been systematically “ripped off” by nearly every country in the world. Catching himself with Meloni at his side, he added: “almost every country.” Trump had already said before their lunch that “we’re in no rush on trade.”
Meloni, the first European leader to visit the White House since Trump imposed—and then paused—a broad tariff regime against the EU, emphasized that she cannot speak on behalf of all 27 EU member states. Nevertheless, she suggested that her candid discussions with Trump could pave the way for a future agreement. For now, European goods remain subject to Trump’s 10% global tariff on nearly all U.S. imports.
Although Meloni had coordinated with Ursula von der Leyen ahead of her trip, some EU officials feared her visit might undermine the bloc’s united front on trade. Others worried Trump would see the visit as validation of his claim—made just a week earlier—that world leaders are lining up to “kiss his ass,” as he bluntly put it, in response to his tariff threats.
Giorgia Meloni now finds herself in a delicate position. Though a close ally of Trump and considered a friend of Elon Musk, she must also defend Italy’s economy, already strained by American tariffs, while demonstrating solidarity with her European partners.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
